Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick on lack of splash plays: ‘I can’t tell quarterbacks to throw at me’

The three-time All-Pro has come under fire recently

Minkah Fitzpatrick has been one of the NFL’s top safeties since 2019 when the Pittsburgh Steelers sent a first-round pick to the Miami Dolphins to acquire him. He has the most All-Pro selections of any safety in that span with three – the only other safety to have that many is Justin Simmons. However, Fitzpatrick has come under fire recently from some fans who made note of the lack of interceptions and splash plays that we grew accustom to seeing. Speaking with the media Thursday, he addressed those who are critical of his box score.

“I can’t tell quarterbacks to throw at me,” Fitzpatrick said. “I can’t abandon my zone to go make a play because of the position that I play. I keep a lid on it. I make sure nothing goes over the top, make sure nothing weasels its way out so a 10-yard play doesn’t go for 50. I think that allows us to still stay on the grass and play good football.”

As Derrick Bell of Steelers Now pointed out on X, Fitzpatrick is doing more than a good job of keeping the lid on the defense.

“Steelers fans, we gotta talk,” Bell writes. “Pittsburgh plays more single high and cover-3 than anyone in the league. This season, they’ve allowed the fewest catches (64) and yards (732) among NFL defenses on throws over the middle, per SIS. You all know who is responsible for that, right?”

And he’s right. You can’t judge the play of a safety simply by looking at a box score like so many people tend to do as if it makes any semblance of a point. Fitzpatrick is still having a massive impact on what the Steelers do week in and week out, even if those home run plays aren’t there. If anything, it shows that quarterbacks are always very aware of where No. 39 is on the field and avoiding him at all costs.